Johnson Matthey celebrates 200 years of inspiring science

Published: 3-Mar-2017

Johnson Matthey, one of the longest-trading businesses in the FTSE 100 Index, celebrates its 200th birthday this year

Now a global leader in science and technology that makes the world cleaner and healthier, the company was founded in London by Percival Norton Johnson in 1817 as a gold assaying business. Two hundred years later, the company Percival Norton Johnson founded is global with operations on all continents and annual sales of more than £3 billion.

Johnson Matthey’s science is helping to enhance people’s lives on a global scale.  Innovative technologies developed by the company’s scientists are transforming the quality of air around the world. New materials are reshaping battery technology for the automotive industry and advanced technologies are being developed that optimise the efficiency of world scale processes used to produce many important chemical intermediates.

Today, one third of all new cars on the planet are fitted with catalysts manufactured by Johnson Matthey at its facilities around the globe, dramatically reducing vehicle emissions worldwide. The exhaust from cars fitted with Johnson Matthey catalysts is often cleaner than air that enters the engine.

At the same time, the company is applying its expertise to create vital products for the pharmaceutical and medical industries, making a difference to the health and wellbeing of many people around the world.

Robert MacLeod, Chief Executive of Johnson Matthey said: “This is a very special year for all of us at Johnson Matthey as we celebrate our 200th anniversary. This extraordinary achievement belongs to my colleagues worldwide and to our predecessors. For two centuries Johnson Matthey has been at the forefront of inspiring science. Much of the important work that we do is not visible to the naked eye but the impact of our science is global and profound. This year we renew our mission to make the world a cleaner and healthier place for everyone”.

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